Anti-icing properties and application of superhydrophobic coatings on asphalt pavement

Abstract

In regions impacted by snow and ice, icy road surfaces can significantly reduce road capacity and endanger vehicle occupants. While traditional de-icing methods, such as spreading de-icing salt and mechanical de-icing, have drawbacks such as environmental pollution and damage to road facilities, superhydrophobic coating is gaining attention as a new, environmentally friendly, and efficient anti-icing method. Superhydrophobic coating can reduce the adhesion between the ice layer and the road surface, so as to achieve the purpose of road anti-icing in a low environmental impact way. To improve the anti-icing performance of asphalt pavement under low-temperature and humid conditions and reduce the impact of snow and ice freezing disaster, we prepared nano-SiO2 superhydrophobic coatings(SSC) and nano-SiO2/graphene composite superhydrophobic coatings(SGSC) using aqueous epoxy resins, hydrophobic nano-SiO2, and sparsely layered graphene as raw materials. The coatings' wettability, ice resistance, and road performance were analyzed. The study found that the contact angles of the SSC and SGSC were 151.2° and 153.0°, respectively. The BPN value of the SGSC decreased by 12.6% after application to the asphalt pavement, but it still meets safety requirements. The coating also maintains a certain degree of ice-resistant performance within five freeze-thaw cycles. The study results indicate that superhydrophobic coatings have the potential to improve pavement ice resistance.